Topic Area 2A: Coal-Based Oxy-Fuel System Evaluation and Combustor Development

The summary for the Topic Area 2A: Coal-Based Oxy-Fuel System Evaluation and Combustor Development grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Headquarters, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Topic Area 2A: Coal-Based Oxy-Fuel System Evaluation and Combustor Development: Topic Area 2A- Coal-Based Oxy-Fuel System Evaluation and Combustor Development Applications are requested that evaluate, through system studies, a suite of coal-based oxy-fuel systems options and then use selected state points (temperature, pressure, species and mass flow) from these studies to design, fabricate and test an appropriately sized oxy-fuel combustor or combustor module. The goal of this sub-topic area is to further develop and test oxy-fuel combustors that can operate in zero emission coal based systems. This suite of system configurations to be evaluated shall include, but is not limited to, progressively advanced subsystems such as turbine technology, oxygen separation technology, gasification technology and other sub-systems that could be included to enhance performance. Sub system performance parameters used in these models should be based on referenced documents or communications. The alternative configurations shall be sophisticated to the extent that all anticipated cooling and reheat streams are accounted for as well as various degrees of sub system integration to include, if appropriate, but not be limited to turbines and air separation systems. System models are required to show a high degree of detail and integration in their models by using input and performance data from various subsystem venders (gasifiers, turbines, ASU, etc). Systems should be evaluated that consider alternate locations for CO2 extraction (low pressure vs. high pressure) that could minimize the penalty for CO2 pressurization. System configurations that produce excess hydrogen for export should also be evaluated. System configurations that capture carbon and produce electricity or hydrogen and could be readily deployed, retrofitted into existing fossil fueled power plants, or take advantage of existing commercial / industrial infrastructure are also of interest for study and evaluation. Successful applicants will be required to follow the quality standards provided in the most current revision of the publication "Quality Guidelines for Energy System Studies" as prepared by NETL's Office of Systems and Policy Support. The January 30, 2005 revision of this document can be found as attachment A. Applicants are highly encouraged to use the appropriate version of Aspen Plus(r) process simulation software for the government funded system studies. A major requirement of this topic area is the design, fabrication and testing of an appropriately sized oxy-fuel combustor or combustor module based on the data and results of selected system studies and the evaluations discussed above. It is anticipated that the tested combustor will support the development of oxy-fuel combustors that lead to large scale (300 - 600 MW nominal) power systems for coal-based fuels. Applications should include a logical plan to show how state points from the system studies will be used as input data for combustor design and testing. This plan should include, conceptually, what might be expected in terms of hardware design, test plans (independent and dependent parameters, test time and data measurement), and an assessment of anticipated technical issues. It is expected that preliminary planning and design of the combustor could begin in parallel with the system studies, however the final combustor and test plan design would wait to the completion of the system studies and government approval. While it is anticipated that the system studies may suggest a range of combustor sizes only one Government-funded combustor would be built and tested which should be designed to address a range of fuel compositions and operating points. Combustor design, and the logical testing and development of this component must take into account future turbine integration. Appropriately sized combustors and or combustor modules for testing should be proposed that lead to combustor systems that integrate with large-scale turbines that take into account exhaust temperature and flow rate profiles and distributions. Any reheat combustor design and testing should also be proposed. Combustors developed under this program shall include the capability to utilize fuels with a range of carbon-to-hydrogen ratios and demonstrate the ability to vary that ratio on a load following or varying hydrogen export basis. Combustor testing shall be based on appropriate fuels to include actual coal derived synthesis gas, simulated coal derived synthesis gas, high-hydrogen fuels, and carbon monoxide. Other candidate test fuels will be considered but need to be justified. Applications must include an option to produce a plan that would allow for the design, fabrication of an appropriately sized combustor for testing at the DOE's FutureGen project. Actual testing would occur in the 2012 - 2015 time frame. Application Development and Project Implementation Applications in Topic Area 2, Sub-topic Area A must include a phased approach showing a logical organization of work and that allows for "go" and "no-go" decisions at the conclusion of each phase. The following phases are required: Phase I-Conceptual Design and R and D Implementation Plan: Concept to Commercial Deployment; Phase II-Detailed Design and Validation Test Program; and Phase III-System Fabrication and Testing. It is expected that applications will have more details regarding Phase I work. Since Phases II and III are contingent on Phase I results specific details are not expected. However Phases II and III must provide an anticipated scope, level of effort, and approach. The R and D Implementation Plan, a major deliverable of Phase I, will provide the basis for negotiating and authorizing Phase II work and anticipating the magnitude of the Phase III effort. Offers are encouraged to read the section of the solicitation titled "General Guidance for Preparing the Research and Development Implementation Plan". Technologies that are developed beyond the conceptual phase may be submitted as Phase II and Phase III applications. Technologies that are already developed beyond the detailed design phase may be submitted as Phase III applications. It is anticipated that work subsequent to Phase III, such as full-scale pre-commercial testing, could be supported through other competitive initiatives. It is expected that in this Sub-topic Area Phase I efforts will be between 12 and 18 months, Phase II efforts will be between 12 and 18 months, and Phase III efforts will be 12 months with an optional 12 to 24 month testing program at DOE's FutureGen project. These periods of performance are intended to be consistent with the goal of enabling a commercial offering in the 2011 time frame.